Spring suspension of vehicle body frame



June 7, 1960 A. SMITH ETAL SPRING SUSPENSION OF VEHICLE BODY FRAME Filed May 31. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ALEXANDER SMITH ,IH HHHHHLE B.D.BAGGS,JR.

ATTORNEY June 7, 1960 A. SMITH ETAL SPRING SUSPENSION OF VEHICLE BODY FRAME Filed May 31. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .FIG.5

INVENTORS ALEXANDER SMITH ATTORNEY a. D.BAGGS,JR.

United States Patent f 2,939,721 SPRING SUSPENSION OF VEHICLE BODY FRAME Alexander Smith, P.(). Box 1460, and Burton D. Baggs, Jr., 2429 Laurel Ave., both of Sanford, Fla.

Filed May a1, 1957, Ser. No. 662,945

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-1065) This invention relates to. the handling, transportation and storage of commodities and to equipment employed in Such Operations including relatively Small trucks, cam, the top of the post 15 is secured by welding 18 or other wheelbarrows and other vehicles used to a great degree where volume and weight of the material handled is large.

i The invention relates particularly to equipment employed in moving commodities short distances including in stores, warehouses and other buildings and out of doors wherever. it is desired to move material and packages or the like easily and quickly with minimum expenditure of time and effort.

In the moving of material of various kinds including earth in various forms and in combination with various materials such as cement, fertilizer, feeds of various kinds, other raw and finished products with which man comes in contact daily, various types of labor saving devices have been employed including carts, wheelbarrows, wagons and other-vehicles. These devices have been complicated, expensive and impractical and required skill in their use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a spring frame for a relatively simple, inexpensive, three-wheeled vehicle with an air-cooled power plant and front-wheel drive as well as a vehicle in which the power plant need only be of small horsepower carried on the front wheel and the front wheel is so mounted that it can turn almost 180 either to the right or to the left, eliminating the necessity for complicated transmission with reverse gearing. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

a Fig. 2, a side elevation from the opposite side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

and

Fig. 5, a section on the line 55 of Fig.3.

Briefly stated, the present invention is a small relatively simple inexpensive highly maneuverable vehicle comprising a steering unit and a load and operator sustaining unit pivotally connected and with a pair of upstanding laterally disposed abutments at each side incorporating compression springs therebetween for absoring shock. The driving and steering unit comprises a post and a wheel embracing yoke. A power plant is disposed about the post and belt and chain transmission extends therefrom to a dual driving wheel located within the yoke beneath the post. The post and yoke are mounted in a pair of brackets attached to the front of the frame of the machine. A steering Wheel is provided at the top of the post by which the post may be rotated to control the direction of movement of the vehicle either forwardly or rearwardly.

The load and operator sustaining unit includes a frame supported by conventional wheels and a body having a 2,939,721 Patented June 7, 1960 2 floor and an upright partition with a seat on the forw side of the latter in order to support an operator in con venient position relative to the steering wheel.

With continued reference to the drawings, the vehicle of the present invention comprises a combination driving and steering unit and a load and operator supporting unit. The first of these units comprises a substantially U-shaped frame or chassis 10 within and above which are disposed a dual steerable wheel 11 on an axle 12 carried by yoke 13. The yoke is connected at its center to an upright hollow shaft or post 14 in which is housed the motor controls.

The frame 10 is provided at its front center with a hollow supporting post 15 having a bracket 16 extending from its right side and curved rearwardly and terminating in a hub orbearing 17 which encircles the shaft 14. To

means the lower end of an upstanding bracket 19 having a curved intermediate portion 20 and a horizontal portion 21 disposed substantially at right angles to the upright portion 19. The horizontal portion 21 has an opening 22 forming a bearing for the shaft 14.

the necessity for a complicated transmission with reverse gearing and associated mechanism.

In order to determine the angular position of the dual wheel 11 or in order to steer the vehicle the post 14 has fixed thereto adjacent its upper end a sprocket 23 on which is mounted a chain 24 which extends around'a smaller sprocket 25 fixed on a steering column 26 to which is fixed a steering device such as for example a steering wheel 27. The steering column 26 extends through an opening 28 in the horizontal portion 21 in rearwardly spaced relation from the post 14. Thus, rotation of the steering wheel will cause rotation of the post 14. v

In order to drive the dual wheel 11 a 1% hp. or other capacity motor or internal combustion engine 29 is mounted about the hollow shaft 14 on a platform or sup port 30 which rotatably rests upon the bearing 17 on the inner end of the bracket 16. The motor includes a shaft 31, a fuel tank 32, and a starter 33.

On the shaft 31 at the right hand side of the machine is mounted a variable drive mechanism including a split pulley or sheave having a fixed section 34 and a movable section 35 rotatably and pivotally connected to an operating lever 37 so that such movable portion can be adjusted relative to the fixed portion and such pulley'thereby can have its diameter varied and consequently control the speed of the vehicle. p

The lever 37 is pivoted to an anchoring lug 38 attached to the motor, the lower end being connected to a tension spring 38', and the other end of the lever is connected by a flexible cable 39 with a bellcrank operating lever 40 mounted on a pivot 41 attached to a lug depending from the end portion of the bar 21. In order to hold the lever 40 in a definite position against tension of spring 38' it is provided with a detent 43 constructed to enter a series of spaced openings on arcuate bracket 44.

The split pulley is employed to drive a V-belt 45 which drives a pulley 46 mounted on a shaft 47 which drives the sprocket 48 which in turn drives a chain 49 which extends around an additional sprocket 50 on the axle 12. Through this transmission the vehicle is propelled without the use of complicated and expensive transmission, and other mechanism.

The unit for sustaining both the load and the operator comprises a wheel supported frame and body pivotally nnneeted o. he heme o he, riving engineering in sufliciently close proximity to the steering wheel to enable a rider to steer the vehicle.

' 1-bed oom omposed offi' substantia y U-shanec havine ides.

ee n ere tfce b acing he-fl or penithetfirame meme n; Q en o) o n t t e; nn ng a teer ng. :11it. 11

ber 51.

he; unit. or ust inin -hema it oad: n he: p or a gain ofi R v r 3. may e: atta hed, one tow vdl ach s de o eh ele o; he'me i er 5 nd connected. y :R YQ -.64Z- l1z r m imemh ha i h -twounits n. r. relat ve o a hot t n n rd rt euehion emmeet n. b w e th se. m m nd? o keen he mahine; r m-1 b ckl ng; h jo nt hen mp y; he-memers 10. nd: 5- m ya e right a u a pp s d ttmi cr tions 65 and 66 withcushioning springs thebottorns; of], whiqhniaye maint ined-mama: n-any de ire im nne a r tor. xamp e-by m a s o o s 68 an 9 The opposed n entbersoi and 66. are located; in; upright posiiq i; lthough they; can bemounted otherwisev if V desired. Asillus r d inEigs- 1; ands ofew n s, ps

. are mounted upon the opposedflegs of, theframemenrber- 1.0.. anclmay be employed to limit upward movement of theapivonfi. The-shaft 47, is a'llowedto swing aboutethe;

clutch and the flexible cable rides over two pulleys or sheaves 74. g

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple, inexpensive and practical vehicle is provided, the uses of which are varied and numerous.

. It will be obvious to those skilled. in'the-arti that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the-spirit: and: scope: thereof and therefore the invention isnot' limited by-that which isi-llustrat'ed in the drawing and, described irnthe. specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claim.

What is claim'ediis;

In a utility vehicle, a forward and rear U-shaped frame disposed in a common direction and in end-to-end relation, said rear frame including a forward transverse central; portion: including; forwardly; directed spaced pivot mst aligned. transverse pivots, connecting; opposite: ten.

minal ndsof? ide portions of said; forward: frame: to:

piYQ ahmQv-eme t; ween said frames; about said trans- YQ ?:R YQ and: stop: x.tendintr; late ally from said for ard: f ame: ndgoverlyx ng-a portion: of one'ofsaidpiyotx arms;-to -preventgbpeklingofl said frames at said pivots;

References (Jited in the file of this patent-.1

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0t 11 15, cIYflQal yI-eKtendiHg; spaced andiopposed" nr iee. on nor h: re peativeframes,v spring meansiextende' -ing between said projections and cushioning relatives 

